Golf Based Card Game

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a golf scenario game where the object is to obtain the lowest score. The game includes a plurality of score sheets each having a plurality of consecutively numbered hole sections to be played, each hole section having an indicator indicating the par for the that hole section. The game further includes a plurality of dice which can be rolled to determine a score when a hole section is played. Each dice has a side displaying an indicator selected from the group consisting of zero, 1, 2 and “card”. Finally, the game further includes a plurality of cards, each card having a side with a written scenario illustrating a rule of golf and having instructions for adjusting the score determined by the roll of the dice. The method of playing this game including the steps of first selecting a first hole section to be played from the score sheet and reading the par for said hole section. A plurality of dice equal to the par for the hole section being played is then selected, and the dice are rolled to display a core equal to the cumulative total displayed on the dice rolled. In the event the “card” symbol is rolled by a player, the player randomly selects a card and modifies the score on the hole by following the scoring instructions on the card.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to games which use dice and cards tosimulate the playing of a golf game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Simulated golf type games have been in existence for many years. Variousboard game based golf simulation games often include score sheets of thetype generally used in real golf to help players record their score. Insome simulated golf games, an elaborate board is used which incorporatesa stylized image of part of a golf course, for example a particularhole. In other golf games, a player's score is determined by the playerrepeatedly engaging a random number generator type of device (such as awheel or a plurality of multi-facetted dice). The random numbergenerator will generate a number which can be used to help determine theplayers score. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,967 for example, the player uses adice to determine how many “yards” a player has carried the ball, whichin turn helps to determine the player's score on a particular hole.

While previous simulated golf games did attempt to incorporate variousgolf related scenarios and used the element of chance to help determinea player's score, the previous games were often difficult to playrequiring a cumbersome game board as well as a variety of other gamerelated items. The games were often complicated to play and took a fairlength of time to play. As a result, an improved golf related game whichovercomes the disadvantages of the prior art is still required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a golf scenario game where the object is to obtain the lowestscore. The game includes a plurality of score sheets each having aplurality of consecutively numbered hole sections to be played, eachhole section having an indicator indicating the par for the that holesection. The game further includes a plurality of dice which can berolled to determine a score when a hole section is played. Each dice hasa side displaying an indicator selected from the group consisting ofzero, 1, 2 and card. Finally, the game further includes a plurality ofcards, each card having a side with a written scenario illustrating arule of golf and having instructions for adjusting the score determinedby the roll of the dice.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method of playing a golf scenario game as defined above, themethod including the steps of first selecting a first hole section to beplayed from the score sheet and reading the par for said hole section. Aplurality of dice equal to the par for the hole section being played isthen selected, and the dice are rolled to display a core equal to thecumulative total displayed on the dice rolled.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method of playing the golf scenario game as defined above byone or more players wherein the method includes the steps of dealing anumber of cards to each player at the start of game play, and thenselecting a hole section to be played from the score sheet and thenreading the par for said hole section. A number of dice equal to the parfor the hole being played are then rolled to display a score equal tothe cumulative total of the dice rolled, the score being adjusted by oneof the players by applying the scoring instructions displayed on one ofthe cards dealt.

With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparentto those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as thisspecification proceeds, the invention is herein described by referenceto the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes adescription of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is front view of a score sheet made in accordance with thepresent invention listing a plurality of hole sections and the par foreach hole section.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view representing the 6 dice used in the game andillustrating the markings on each side of each of the dice.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The golf game made in accordance with the present invention consists ofsix dice, a plurality of score sheets and a plurality of rule cards. Asshown in FIG. 1, the score sheets are modeled after a score sheet asfound in the actual game of golf and lists the number of holes in thecourse (i.e. hole sections in the game), and the “par” for each hole. Aspace is provided adjacent each of the hole section to record a playersscore for each hole. The game may also include a plurality of pencils(or pens) for recording each player's score on the score sheet as thegame is played.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, six separate dice are used, five of which arecubical six sided dice and the sixth dice being an eight sided dice.Each dice has a plurality of facets, with an indicator shown on eachside. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first dice, dice 1, has the word“card” appearing on four of its sides and the numeral “1” appearing ontwo of its sides. The second and third dice, dice 2 and 3 respectively,each has the numeral “1” appearing on each of their sides. Preferably,dice 1, 2 and 3 are the same color, namely white. The fourth dice, dice4, has two sides with the numeral “1” appearing thereon and two sideswith the numeral “2” appearing thereon. The remain two sides of dice 4display an indicator for the value zero, in this ease a happy face;although any other suitable indicator, including the numeral “0” itself,may be used. The fourth dice is preferably a different color from theother dice, in this case green. The fifth dice, dice 5, has the numeral“1” appearing on each of its sides. Again, the fifth dice is a differentcolor from the other dice, in this ease red. The remaining dice, dice 6(also called the challenge dice) is eight sided and displays the numeral“3” on one of its sides, the numeral “2” on three of its sides and thenumeral “1” on four of its sides. The challenge dice may also be coloreddifferently than the other dice. A cup may be provided with the game tomake it easier for a player to roll a number of dice at the same time.

The rule cards (also called golf cards) consist of several cards eachcard having a face side and a back side. A different rule of golf iswritten on the face side of many of the cards, with the back side of thecards each being identical. A great many of the cards have a unique ruleof golf displayed thereon; however, it is possible to have severalduplicate cards bearing the same instructions. Some of the cards havegame playing instructions such as “pick another card”. The cards whichillustrate a rule of golf each have instructions for adjusting theplayer's score for the hole being played. For example, some cards willillustrate a golf scenario and contain an indication that a point has tobe added to or subtracted from the player's score. Other cards willindicate that a golf scenario has occurred but that there is no effecton the score for the hole. Some of the cards do not illustrate anyparticular rule of golf or golf scenario, but rather scoringinstructions such as “your score stands”. The cards therefore replicatethe various scenarios which can sometime occur in a real golf game andalso replicates the effect of those scenarios on a player's score. Table1 illustrates 40 different rules of golf and/or golf scenarios whichcould be reproduced on 40 different cards. Each of the cardsillustrating one of these scenarios would contain instructions to addtwo strokes (two points) to the player's score for the hole when thecard is drawn. Since drawing these cards raises a player's score by twostrokes, these cards are referred to as penalty cards.

TABLE 1 Golf Scenarios Resulting in Two Stroke Penalty 1. You made amark on the putting green to point out your putting line. 2. You teedoff outside the teeing ground. 3. You tested the condition of the sandprior to making your bunker shot. 4. You spooned your ball with yourwedge out of the long grass. 5. You hit the wrong ball out of thehazard. 6. You putted with your putter handle. 7. Your putt hit anotherball on the green. 8. You replaced your moved ball in a different spot.9. You grounded your club in the hazard. 10. You took a drop three clublengths from an unplayable lie. 11. You lifted your ball foridentification without announcing your intention. 12. You played yourball which was out of bounds. 13. You replaced a cut ball withoutannouncing your intentions. 14. You putted a moving ball. 15. You puttedwhile your opponents ball was still in motion. 16. You moved the teemarkers with your stance. 17. Your putt hit the flagstick lying on theground. 18. Your opponent counted 15 clubs in your bag on the firsthole. 19. You dropped your ball closer to the hole on an unplayable lie.20. You moved a loose impediment from the water hazard. 21. You movedyour ball marker and did not replace your ball in the correct place. 22.You played your lost ball, found after five minutes. 23. Youdeliberately offered misleading advice regarding club selection. 24. Youdemonstrated how to play a stroke. 25. You asked for advice on how tomake a stroke. 26. You removed and broke a stake protecting a youngtree. 27. You bent back part of a boundary fence. 28. You shook a treeto remove water on the leaves. 29. You broke a branch which wasinterfering with your back swing. 30. You broke a branch while doingyour back swing. 31. The wind was oscliating your ball on the ground andyou pushed it down. 32. Your ball bounced off of a tree and hit yourclub. 33. Your backswing touched the sand while doing your bunker shot.34. You moved the flagstick on the green to prevent a putt hitting it.35. You brushed casual water off of the green with your towel. 36. Youputted using your putter in a billiard type position. 37. You dug in thesand while not having a club to get a feel for the shot. 38. You touchedleaves with your back swing while making a shot. 39. You knelt on atowel while making a shot to prevent your trousers from getting dirty.40. You used two clubs for better impact our of the long grass.

Table 2 lists a series of golf rules and golf scenarios which result inno strokes being added to the player's score. These cards illustratethat common (or in some cases uncommon) events in the real game of golfhave no effect on the score, although they may make the game moreexciting and interesting.

TABLE 2 Golf Rules and Scenarios That Do Not Effect Score 1. You weretoo close to your opponent while they were teeing off. 2. You failed toreplace your divot. 3. You failed to repair your ball mark on the green.4. You teed off one club length behind the markers. 5. You were talkingwhile your opponent was teeing off. 6. You were giggling while youropponent was putting. 7. Your ball fell off of the tee while you wereaddressing it. 8. Your shorts or skirt ware deemed too short. 9. Youfailed to rake the bunker. 10. You putted with your sand wedge. 11. Youputted from off of the green without removing the flag. 12. You cleanedyour ball after properly marking it on the green. 13. You removed aloose impediment on the green. 14. You replaced your opponents divot.15. You failed to use a tee while teeing off with an iron. 16. TheMarshall instructed you to speed up the game. 17. You watched youropponents putting line from the side. 18. You had fourteen clubs in yourbag. 19. You stepped on your opponents putting line. 20. Your ball hitthe Marshalls golf cart. 21. Your ball was stolen by a seagull. 22. Yourball hit a tree and bounced back ten yards. 23. You broke your five ironin anger. 24. Your cell phone rang while your opponent was putting. 25.You substituted your damaged ball and told your opponent. 26. You leftyour empty pop can on the side of the green. 27. You repaired two ballmarks on the green. 28. You forgot to replace the flagstick after allhad putted. 29. You did not ground your sand wedge in the bunker. 30.You grounded your putter prior to putting. 31. You teed off while thegroup in front of you were still in range. 32. Your chip shot hitanother ball on the green. 33. You failed to shout “Fore” when your balllanded close to another player. 34. You damaged the cup while replacingthe flag. 35. You played your ball from a divot on the fairway. 36. Youfailed to shake hands with your group after the round of play.

In addition, there are a number of different cards which are referred toas challenge cards, each of which illustrate a possible golf scenariowhich carries a penalty determined by rolling the challenge dice. Thesechallenge cards may be invoked by a player to modify an opposingplayer's score at a hole. A plurality of these challenge cards may bedealt out to each player at the beginning of a game in the event theplayers wish to play “challenge golf” (as further described below).

TABLE 3 Scenarios of Golf Carrying a Randomly Selected Penalty -Challenge Cards 1. Your ball is plugged in the bunker. 2. You have afifty foot putt. 3. Major tree problems. 4. Fourty mile per hour winds,par 3. 5. Fairway bunker woes. 6. Serious branched to deal with. 7.Problems, very long grass. 8. Dog leg, wrong club selection. 9. In boundslice under a willow tree. 10. Serious hook into the second cut ofgrass. 11. What a shank, in play. 12. Unsuccessful fade.

Several cards will have a golf scenario which is “positive” in that itinstructs the player to lower their score on a hole by one or morestrokes, and completely over rule the players accumulated score on agiven dice roll. Such cards could include “hole in one” cards, “Eagle”cards and “Double Eagle” cards. Other positive cards that may bereferred to as “etiquette cards” will permit the dice roll to resultpositively as a par, birdie or eagle since the card will instruct theplayer that their roll stands. Alternatively, another class of cards,referred to as “Mulligan cards”, when applied, will give the player apass in the event a dice roll is unacceptable and the player opts toroll again. These “mulligan cards” may also be used when a negative cardis drawn, though the player will have to chose another card. Thesemulligan cards may be positive in some instances or negative in others.

Using the cards, score sheets and dice as described above, the method ofplaying the game shall now be discussed. Firstly, there are fourseparate types of games which can be played with the game, namelyChallenge Golf, Stroke Play, Match Play and Skins. Regardless of whichgame is played, the basics of the method of play are as follows.Firstly, the cards are shuffled prior to each game. Each player selectsa hole portion of the game to play, for example the first hole. Thereare generally eighteen hole portions per game; however, if a shortergame is desired, then a lesser number of holes can be selected (such asnine holes). All players play each of the holes selected. The par valueof each hole (or hole portion) is defined in the score sheet.Essentially, each hole could be a par 3, a par 4 or a par 5, indicatingthat the par for the hole portion is 3, 4 and 5, respectively. The parfor each hole portion determines the number of dice which are to bethrown by each player for that hole. A par three hole requires that dice1, 2 and 3 be thrown. A par four hole requires that dice 1, 2, 3 and 4be thrown by each player. A par five hole requires that dice 1, 2, 3, 4and 5 be thrown by each player. When a player throws the required numberof dice for a hole, the dice will display a plurality of numerals orindicators. In a par three for example, the dice may come up “1” (fordice 1), “1” for dice 2 and “1” for dice 3 (it will be appreciated thatdice 2 and 3 will always show the numeral “1”). The player's score forthat hole is the cumulative total of the numerals displayed on the dice,in this case three. Hence, the player has a score of 3 on that hole.This score is then recorded for the player in the score sheet and asecond player then takes a turn for that hole. The second player againthrows dice 1, 2 and 3, with the dice depicting “card”, “1” and “1”. Thesecond player's score is again the cumulative total displayed by thedice, in this case 2 (i.e. the player has received a score of 2 on thishole). However, the second player also threw a “card” indicator on dice1 (the only dice which contains the indicator), so the player must thenpick a card. The card is read and any scoring instructions contained onthe card must be followed. If the card drawn is a penalty card, then thecard will contain instructions to adjust the player's score by addingone or more strokes to the score. If a two stroke penalty card is drawn,then the player's score is 2 (as read from the dice thrown) plus 2 fromthe card, for a total of 4 (one over par for that hole). This score isthen recorded and the next player takes a turn at the hole until allplayers have played the hole. When all players have played the hole,then the first player proceeds to play the next hole by selecting thedice corresponding to the par of the next hole.

If the hole is a par 4, then in addition to throwing dice 1, 2 and 3,each player must also throw dice 4. It should be recalled that dice 4can come up “zero” (or happy face). Hence, the result of a throw of thedice on a par four can be “1”, “1”, “1”, “0” or “1”, “1”, “1”, “1” or“1”, “1”, “1”, “2” or “card”, “1”, “1”, “1” and so on. Again, the scorefor the throw of the dice is the cumulative total of the numeralsdisplayed on the rolled dice as modified by the card instructions if the“card” indicator is shown on the rolled dice.

If a hole is a par 5, then in addition to throwing dice 1, 2, 3 and 4,dice 5 is also thrown. As with the above example in a par 4, the totalscore is the cumulative total of the numerals displayed on the rolleddice as modified by the card instructions of the card picked by theplayer in the event the “card” symbol is rolled.

In this way, each player plays each hole and the players' scores arerecorded in the score sheet. The winner is the player with the lowestscore. Additional rules can be applied to the basic game to make it moreinteresting. For example, if one or more dice are rolled off the table,the score is not effected but the dice will have to be re-thrown. Also,each player may be dealt one or more “mulligan cards” which a player mayinvoke in the event the player draws a “challenge” or “penalty” card. Inaddition to this basic game play, additional game steps are used fordifferent games, as better explained below.

Challenge Golf

At the beginning of each nine holes, all players are dealt three cardseach, face down which may be kept and played at their discretionthroughout the 18 holes. They may be played in the following manner.Following each roll, players must announce their cumulative score. Ex:−3. The following players in order have the option to issue a“Challenge” by playing a Challenge card requiring the player to roll theChallenge dice, a two stroke penalty card, or a one stroke penalty card.The outcome is final.

Under Challenge the player may not use their Bonus cards, Hole in Ones,Eagles, Double Eagles and Mulligan cards. These cards are used by theplayer to strategically better their own score. Only one Challenge ispermitted per roll.

Stroke Play

This game can be played by two or more players. 18 holes are playedrecording each players score. The player with the fewest strokes is thewinner. Ties may be resolved with sudden death holes. In sudden death oneach consecutive holes, only the tied low scores continue and those withthe greater scores are eliminated and have lost.

Match Play

Match Play consists of two players playing against each other. Each holeis recorded and won by the player with the lowest score. A hole ishalved when each player has the same score.

The match is won at the time a player leads by a greater number of holesthan there are left to play. In the event of a tie, additional holes areplayed in a sudden death format.

Skins

Skins may be played by two or more players. The player with the lowestscore on each hole wins the Skin. In the event the lowest score is tiedby another player, the skin is carried over to the next hole, no playeris eliminated, The carry overs continue until there is an outrightwinner of the accumulated skins. 18 holes are completed in this mannerand recorded on a scorecard, In the event of a tie on the final hole,sudden death holes are played in the same manner until there is anoutright winner of the 18^(th) skin or accumulated skins on the 18^(th)hole. The one exception in sudden death holes, only the lowest tiedscores continue.

A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed;however, several variations of the disclosed embodiment could beenvisioned as within the scope of this invention. It is to be understoodthat the present invention is not limited to the embodiments describedabove, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of thefollowing claims.

1. (canceled)
 2. A method of playing a golf scenario game by one or moreplayers comprising the steps of: a. Providing a plurality of scoresheets each having a plurality of consecutively numbered hole sectionsto be played, each hole section having an indicator indicating the parfor that hole section; b. Proving a plurality of dice which can berolled to determine a score when a hole section is played each dicehaving a side displaying an indicator selected from the group consistingof zero, 1, 2 and card; c. Providing a plurality of cards, each cardhaving instructions for adjusting the score determined by the roll ofthe dice; d. Selecting the first hole section to be played from thescore sheet and reading the par for said hole section; e. Selecting aplurality of dice equal to the par for the hole section being played; f.Rolling the selected dice to display a score equal to the cumulativetotal displayed on the dice rolled.
 3. The method of claim 2 furthercomprising the step of selecting a card when one of the dice rolleddisplays the card indicator, and then adjusting the score for the holesection played according to the scoring instructions displayed on thecard selected.
 4. A method of playing a golf scenario game by one ormore players comprising the steps of: a. Providing a plurality of scoresheets each having a plurality of consecutively numbered hole sectionsto be played, each hole section having an indicator indicating the parfor that hole section; b. Proving a plurality of dice which can berolled to determine a score when a hole section is played, each dicehaving a side displaying an indicator selected from the group consistingof zero, 1, 2 and card; c. Providing a plurality of cards, each cardhaving instructions for adjusting the score determined by the roll ofthe dice; d. Dealing a number of cards to each player at the start ofgame play; e. Selecting the first hole section to be played from thescore sheet and reading the par for said hole section; f. Selecting aplurality of dice equal to the par for the hole section being played; g.Rolling the selected dice to display a score for the hole section equalto the cumulative total displayed on the dice rolled; h. One of theplayers adjusting the score for the hole section by applying the scoringinstructions displayed on one of the cards dealt.
 5. A method of playingthe golf scenario game by a plurality of players comprising the stepsof: a. Providing a plurality of score sheets each having a plurality ofconsecutively numbered hole sections to be played, each hole sectionhaving an indicator indicating the par for that hole section; b. Provinga plurality of dice which can be rolled to determine a score when a holesection is played, each dice having a side displaying an indicatorselected from the group consisting of zero, 1, 2 and card; c. Providinga plurality of cards, each card having instructions for adjusting thescore determined by the roll of the dice; d. Selecting the first holesection to be played from the score sheet and reading the par for saidhole section; e. selecting the first to third dice only if the par forsaid hole section is 3, selecting the first to fourth dice only if thepar for said hole section is 4 and selecting all five dice only if thepar for said hole section is 5; f. rolling the selected dice and addingthe numbers displayed on the rolled dice to obtain a score for that holesection; g. selecting a card if the first dice displays the cardindicator when it is rolled and then adjusting the score for that holesection by following the instructions on the selected card; h. recordingthe score for that hole section on the score sheet; i. repeating steps bthrough e for the next hole section until all the holes are played, andj. recording a final score for each player by summing the scoresrecorded for all of the hole sections played.
 6. The method of playingas defined in claim 5 further comprising the steps of dealing aplurality of cards to each player at a start of game play and thenallowing players to effect the score of opposing players during gameplay by allowing the players to apply one of their dealt cards on anopposing player.
 7. The method of playing as defined in claim 6 furthercomprising the step of allowing a player to apply one of the dealt cardto themselves during game play.